US President-elect Donald Trump has arrived at the Elysée Palace to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Trump arrived in Paris early on Saturday to attend the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral, his first trip overseas since he won the US presidential election in November.
Macron was the first foreign leader to congratulate Trump after he became just the second US president to win a nonconsecutive term.
Macron is also meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later in the afternoon, and Trump is meeting with Britain’s Prince William ahead of the Notre Dame Cathedral reopening ceremony.
Prince William will meet with US President-elect Donald Trump in Paris on Saturday, Kensington Palace has announced.
The pair will meet while they are both in the French capital for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, which was heavily damaged after being engulfed in flames in 2019.
More than five years later, after intensive restoration, the Parisian landmark is officially being reopened on Saturday.
William will be attending the reopening ceremony on behalf of the United Kingdom, the palace said. He will also meet with US first lady Jill Biden, who he last saw at the coronation of his father King Charles III in London last year.
The prince last met with Trump during his state visit to the UK in 2019. This will be Trump’s first overseas trip since his election in November to a second term in office.
Trump and Macron worked together closely throughout the first Trump administration, with their relationship being described as somewhat of a “bromance,” though at times they appeared hostile toward one another.
Macron was the first foreign leader to congratulate Trump after he became only the second US president ever to win a nonconsecutive term, writing on X: “Congratulations, President @realDonaldTrump. Ready to work together as we did for four years. With your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity.” Later that evening, Trump and Macron spoke by phone, Macron’s office said.
More on the visit: As soon as the invitation was received, Trump told his team he wanted to attend as he has long held a fascination with Notre Dame, which was severely damaged by a fire in 2019. At the time, Trump watched footage of the fire while aboard Air Force One, commenting on social media: “So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!”
